This invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing device represented by DLT (digital linear tape) or LTO (linear tape open) and, in particular, to a retaining (holding) mechanism for making a leader pin stored in a cartridge retain (hold) to a grabber.
Recording and/or reproducing devices of the type described are developed for use in back-up ones of computer systems and various types of the recording and/or reproducing devices have been proposed in prior art. Such a recording and/or reproducing device serving as the LTO is disclosed, for example, in the patent document WO 00/30095 A1.
The recording and/or reproducing device may be also a tape drive in which a cartridge having a single reel (a supply reel) can be installed. The cartridge may be also called a cassette. The recording and/or reproducing device contains a take-up reel therein. When the cartridge is installed in the recording and/or reproducing device, a magnetic tape is pulled out of the cartridge and then is wound by the take-up reel through a tape-transport path. The tape-transport path is for guiding the magnetic tape pulled out of the cartridge in a magnetic head. The magnetic head exchanges information between the tape and the magnetic head. In addition, the take-up reel is rotationally drivable by means of a real motor.
In the manner which is disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document WO 00/30095 A1, the cartridge comprises a housing, a rotationally drivable supply reel accommodated in the housing, the magnetic tape wound onto the reel hub of the supply reel, and a coupling element which is connected to the magnetic tape in the free end area of the magnetic tape and which is held in a coupling position. The coupling element is also called a leader pin.
In order to enable the magnetic tape contained in the cartridge to be wound onto the take-up reel, the magnetic tape should first be brought to the take-up reel with the aid of the leader pin. For this purpose, the recording and/or reproducing device has a pull-out element. The pull-out element is adopted to be coupled to the leader pin. The pull-out element is also called a grabber.
In order to enable the grabber to be coupled to the leader pin, the recording and/or reproducing device includes retaining means adapted to detachably retain the grabber. The retaining means are movably between a standby position and an operating position. A movement of the retaining means into their operating position causes a movement of the grabber in a coupling direction and the grabber and the leader pin to be coupled. On the other hand, a movement of the retaining means out of their operating position causes a movement of the grabber in a direction opposite to the coupling direction and the grabber and the leader pin to be disengaged.
In order to enable the grabber and the leader pin, after they have been coupled, i.e. a pull-out assembly thus formed, to be moved away from the retaining means an to be moved up to the reel hub of the take-up real, the recording and/or reproducing device includes actuating means. The actuating means are simply formed by a pull-out tape. The pull-out tape is guided along the above-mentioned tape-transport path. The pull-out tape is also called a leader tape.
During a movement of the pull-out assembly between the retaining means and the take-up reel, it is necessary that the grabber and the leader pin coupled thereto remain securely connected to one another. In order to guarantee this secure connection, the grabber has been provided with a locking element. The locking element is movable with respect to the grabber. That is, the locking element is mounted on the grabber so as to be movable transversely to a coupling direction. With the leader pin coupled to the grabber, the locking element, which is movable with respect to the grabber, cooperates with a part of the leader pin in order to hold the grabber and the leader pin together. In this event, a pressure spring urges the locking element towards a locking position for cooperation with a central portion of the leader pin. That is, in the coupled condition of the grabber and the leader pin, the locking element is loaded by the pressure spring. At any rate, the locking element, which is movable transversely to the coupling direction and which is urged against a locking surface of the grabber, ensures that the leader pin is locked to the grabber in a stable and reliable manner.
In the manner which is described above, the conventional recording and/or reproducing device uses, as a leader pin holding part for making the leader pin hold the grabber, the locking element which is movable transversely to the coupling direction.
In the manner which is described above, the conventional leader pin holding part (the locking element) is always applied with urging force (pressure force) in a direction to fix to the leader pin by the pressure spring. Therefore, the leader pin must forcefully be removable to the grabber by force larger than the urging force (the pressure force) with the leader pin slid to a tip portion of the locking element. In other words, a load applies to the leader pin. It results in degradation of reliability of the recording and/or reproducing device. In addition, the leader pin is wound with the fee end area of the magnetic tape. As a result, on attaching/detaching the leader pin to/from the grabber, the tip portion of the locking element rubs with respect to the winding portion of the magnetic tape. Therefore, during repetition of the attaching/detaching operation, it is feared that the area of the free end of the magnetic tape wound on the leader pin peels from the leader pin. In addition, inasmuch as the attaching/detaching operation is repeated with the leader pin rubbed with the tip portion of the locking element, the tip portion of the locking element is worn down. As a result, it is feared that holding force of the locking element with respect to the leader pin degrades and it results in degradation of reliability in the recording and/or reproducing device.